Roll towel dispensers



April 7, 1954 c. E. DOWNHAM 3,128,024

ROLL TOWEL DISPENSERS Filed Oct. 18, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

' ATTORNEYS April 7, 1964 c. E. DOWNHAM ROLL TOWEL DISPENSERS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 18, 1962 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,128,024 ROLL TOWEL D1SPENER Cyril Edward Downham, Green Bay, Wis, assignor to Fort Howard Paper Company, Green Bay, Wis, a corporatiou of Wisconsin Filed Oct. 18, 1962, Ser. No. 231,439 17 Claims. (U. 225-43) This invention relates to improvements in roll towel dispensers, and more particularly to a novel crank-type dispenser for rolls of paper toweling and the like.

The general objects of the present invention are to provide an improved cabinet and dispenser assembly for a paper toweling roll which is so designed that a roll may be quickly and easily installed therein, and wherein the toweling is always dispensed evenly and smoothly.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dispenser of the type described wherein the dispensing roll and crank are supported on a movable cover and are movable to open position with the cover to a position to facilitate installation of a new roll of toweling.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved roll towel cabinet of the type described wherein the roll is supported in a simple manner without trunnions, and wherein there is a novel holding bar carried by a movable cover for holding the roll in proper dispensing position until all of the paper has been removed from the core, said holding bar being hinged to the cover and located at such a point that it will automatically move away from the operating mechanism, after the cover has been fully opened, so that it does not interfere with loading of the cabinet, the hinge point for the bar also causing the bar to automatically fall into operating position against the supply roll after the cover has been closed, whereby the person servicing the cabinet does not have to handle or adjust the holding bar.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cabinet as above described wherein there is a novel bottom plate having a cross sectional shape to properly support a roll of toweling until all of the paper has been removed from the core, said support eliminating the need for a trunnion mounting.

A further object is to provide an improved crank-type roll towel dispenser which is so designed that it is impossible for a user to manually strip the paper from the cabinet, thus discouraging the use of unnecessary quantities of toweling.

Still further objects of the present invention are to provide an improved towel cabinet and dispenser which is relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which is reliable in operation, which is rugged and durable, and which improved cabinet assembly is otherwise particularly well adapted for its intended purposes.

With the above and other objects in mind, which other objects and advantages of the present structure will become apparent hereinafter, the invention comprises the improved roll towel dispenser and all of its parts and combinations, as set forth in the following specification and claims, and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the improved cabinet assembly in an open condition, a supply roll being indicated by broken lines and part of the cover being broken away;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross sectional view through the closed cabinet, the cover being shown in broken lines in its open position; and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view showing the drive roll and cutting strip mounting, and taken approximately along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

3,128,024 Patented Apr. 7, 1964 "ice Referring now more particularly to the drawings, it will be seen that the improved cabinet and dispenser in cludes, a main housing or body 16 having a rear wall 11, a bottom 12, and a pair of spaced side walls 13, the front and top portions of said cabinet body being exposed when the cover is open. Said rear wall 11 is provided with a plurality of mounting slots 14 through which screws or the like can be projected to anchor said cabinet on a wall. The upper edge portion of said rear wall is preferably shaped as iilustrated to provide a forwardly-protruding closure rib 15. The side walls 13 have downwardly and forwardly angled front edges having a pair of aligned, forwardly-extending cars 16. In the illustrated embodiment, said cabinet side walls are provided with oblique slotted openings 17 to permit a maintenance man to readily observe the amount of toweling remaining in the cabinet, and thereby determine when the cabinet should be refilled.

Mounted in the main body 10 is a false bottom having a downwardly and forwardly angled rear portion 19 and having a downwardly and rearwardly inclined forward portion 9 which is curved downwardly and rearwardiy, as at 21, so that its front provides a U-shaped paper guide and the rear wall of a throat 66. The portion 21, together with connecting portions 20 and 20, provide a rollcradling well 18 which is shaped so that as the supply roll decreases in diameter a progressively greater portion of its diameter is received in the well 18, as indicated at R, FIG. 2. During the first part of the dispensing operation the roll is cradled mainly on the angled portions 1% and 9, as shown in FIG. 2, and when the roll is new may even be supported partly on the top of the pressure roll 39 Pivotally attached to ears 69 at the lower, forward portion of the cabinet body 10 are ears 27 of a cover 22 which can be swung from the lowered, open position shown in FIG. 1 and in broken lines in FIG. 2, to the closed, full line position of FIG. 2, it being noted that there are inwardly directed notches 62 above the ears 60. Said cover includes a forward wall 23, a top wall 214, and a pair of L-shaped side walls 25 which are designed to partially overlap the side walls 13 of the cabinet body vvhen said cover is closed. As is best shown in FIG. 2, the lower edge of said cover is flanged at a right angle as at 28, and when said cover is in its closed position said flange is spaced above the forward edge of the cabinet bottom to provide an elongated, front dispensing slot 29.

in the illustrated cabinet, the top wall 24 of the cover has a flat, spring latching arm 33 on its underside, and when the cabinet is closed said latching arm snaps into latching engagement with the aforementioned flange 15 on the upper edge of the cabinet body, said latching arm having nubs 33 adapted to coact with apertures 15 in said body flange. Ordinarily, suitable locking means are also provided to prevent unauthorized opening or tampering with the cabinet.

With references still to FIG. 2 of the drawing, pivotally mounted on the lower portion of the front wall 23 of the cover is a roll holder 37 in the -form of a gravity bar, which is designed to bear against the periphery of the roll of towel-ing to automatically maintain the same in its proper position in the cabinet during the dispensing operation, and to prevent uneven feeding, wrinkles, torn edges, or fouling of the paper as it is withdrawn. Said gravity bar 37 is hinged to a lower portion of the cover front wall by means of a hinge pin 38, or equivalent pivot connection, and as the diameter of. the towel roll becomes smaller during use, said bar rides downwardly therewith by gravity and has sufficient weight to provide continuous pressure against said roll. When min-rolling paper toweling near the core, the paper retains a greater residual curvature or bend, which in some grades of paper will be of such magnitude to allow the core to be lifted from its normal operating position before all of the paper is unwound. The weight of the gravity bar 37, however, functions to hold the roll of toweling in its normal dispensing position until all the paper has been removed from the core, resulting in smooth, even feeding, and the elimination of wrinkles.

In the present cabinet the bar 37 is hinged in such a location to the swingable cover that, when the cover is swung downwardly to open the cabinet, as for refilling, the gravity bar automatically falls downwardly to the out-ofsthe-way position shown in broken lines. As a consequence, with the present invention it is unnecessary for the person filling the cabinet to manually retract said gravity bar in order to remove and replace the roll 30. Moreover, due to the mounting arrangement illustrated, when the cover "22 is being closed, said gravity b'ar automatically assumes the operative position against the periphery of the roll, which is shown in full lines in FIG. 2, thus not only facilitating the job of the maintenance man, but eliminating dependency upon the human element and ensuring that said gravity bar is always properly positioned during the dispensing operation.

Supported between the projecting cars 16 on the forward end of the side Walls is a pressure roller 39 which has trunnions journalled in slotted bearing housings 40 on said walls, said housings having compression springs 4-1 adapted to yieldably urge said roller downwardly into firm engagement with a drive or dispensing roller 42 therebelow, when the cover is closed. The latter roller is rotatably carried by and between end bearings 43 preferably of a plastic, such as nylon, carried by an elongated moun ing bracket 44 secured on the aforementioned flange 28 on the lower portion of the cover 22. Said drive roller 42 includes a plurality of axially-spaced grooves 46, the purpose of which design is well known in the art, and sai roller is preferably covered with sandpaper or similar material having good frictional gripping properties.

As appears in FIGS. 1 and 3, a cylindrical clutch portion 48 which is rotated by the crank 4) is coupled by means of a suitable spring clutch 47 to the end of the drive roll to drive it in one direction only and to slip in a reverse direction. At the opposite end of the drive roll is a drag spring 65 providing friction means to prevent over-running, and consequent fouling of the toweling during the dispensing operation, and providing a drag to discourage continuous cranking and consequent waste of said toweling.

In the present invention there are no means provided for automatically measuring and stopping the toweling web after a predetermined time interval, or after a certain length has been dispensed, such as are incorporated in many prior cabinets. The natural tendency of the user to avoid unnecessary effort will cause him to cease cranking the handle 49 on the present cabinet after a suflicient length of towel has been dispensed, and it has been found that a complex and relatively expensive metering or stop device is unnecessary.

As best appears in FIG. 2, a cut-off blade 52 is a part of the drive roller-supporting bracket -44 on the cover. Said blade is so positioned as shown in FIG. 2 that when the cover is in its closed position it projects rearward-1y and somewhat downwardly a substantial distance into the throat 66 provided by the aforementioned guide plate 21. The illustrated arrangement and positioning of said cutting blade relative to the rollers 3i and 42, and relative to the edge 67 of the dispensing slot 29, which edge is located forwardly of said blade, prevents the toweling from being pulled straight down to strip it from the roll.

Operation In the use of the improved roll towel cabinet and dispenser, the janitor or maintenance man may install a cylindrical roll of paper toweling 3d merely by opening the cover 22 and placing said roll on the false bottom member, the gravity bar being automatically retracted with the cover, as described, and the inclined bottom portions 19-52. causing said roll to automatically position itself properly in the cradled position within the cabinet as shown. The free end 32 of the paper toweling is then manually trained over and in front of the pressure roller 39, the drive roller 42 and cutting blade 52 being in a lowered, non-interfering position with the opened cover, as illustrated in broken lines in FIG. 2. A sufficient length of said toweling is preferably manually drawn from the roll so that the free end hangs a short distance below the dispensing slot 29.

The cover 22 is then swung upwardly and rearwardly about its hinge connections to its closed position, and the drive roller 4-2 carried thereby is thus caused to move upwardly and rearwardly inwardly to a position where it is pressurably engaged by the roller 39 thereabove, as shown in full lines in FIG. 2, the paper web being automatically frictionally gripped in the bite provided by said rollers and the crank shaft being accommodated in the adjacent notch '62 Thus, with the present structure it is unnecessary for the person installing the supply roll to tediously thread the paper between feed rollers, as is requ red with conventional dispensers. As said cover 22 is swung to its closed position, the cutting blade 52, which is also carried thereon, is simultaneously moved upwardly to the full line position of FIG. 2, where it engages the depending portion 32 of the toweling and deflects the same inwardly into the concave pocket 66 formed by the guide plate 21.

When the cabinet is closed, cranking of the handle 49 causes the drive roller 42 to rotate and the frictional bite provided by the sandpaper surface of said roller in coaction with the spring-urged roller 31 causes the paper toweling to be unwound from the supply roll and fed between said rollers. As the toweling passes therethrough it is guided downwardly and inwardly around the blade 52 in a gradual path, and without inducing bends or wrinkles, by the concave contour of the guide plate 21, and out through the bottom opening 29. When rotation of the handle 49 is ceased, any pull on the free end of the toweling by the user will cause the paper to be forced against the sawtooth edge 52 of the protruding blade, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and the paper will be torn off, thus providing the user with a length of toweling.

Due to the positioning of the cutting blade 52 relative to the paper web as the same is dispensed, and relative to the dispensing opening edge 67, it is impossible to withdraw toweling from the cabinet without operating the crank 49. Any manual, downward pulling force by the user on the free end 32 of the Web causes the blade 52 to bits into the paper. The result is that with the present cabinet, stripping of unnecessarily long lengths of toweling without cranking is eliminated.

A further advantage of the illustrated relationship between the curved guide plate 21, cutting blade 52, and dispensing slot 29, is that said arrangement prevents plugging of the dispensing mechanism, either deliberate or otherwise. In this respect, when it is attempted to plug or jam the assembly, any paper forced upwardly into the throat 'will pleat therein, but will not tear or separate. The cabinet can be made to operate again merely by grasping and manually pulling out the pleated portion.

When the toweling has been completely consumed, or when the maintenance man observes through the side wall slot 17 that the diameter of the roll is so small that the supply should be replenished, a new roll can be installed in the quick and simple manner hereinabove described.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be seen that the present invention provides a simple but reliable roll towel cabinet and dispenser assembly wherein the installation of the towel roll is greatly facilitated, as compared to conventional cabinets, and wherein the toweling is always dispensed evenly and smoothly, with the roll automatically held in place without trunnions. Moreover, with the present invention it is impossible for the user to manually strip the toweling from the cabinet, thus conserving material.

Various changes, modifications, and other analogous uses will undoubtedly occur to those skilled in the art, and it is intended to include herein not only the structure and application hereinabove described, but also any and all variations or modifications therein as may come within the spirit of the invention, and within the scope of the following claims. i

What I claim is:

1. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with means for dispensing toweling from a roll and including dispensing rollers, a roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front plate portion behind said dispensing rollers which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from the front, there being an intermediate well portion between said two angled portions, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll placed thereon and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of the roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position.

2. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with means for dispensing toweling from a roll and including dispensing rollers, a roll-supporting and cradling false bottom in said cabinet formed of bent sheet material and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion behind said dispensing rollers which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from the front, there being an intermediate well portion between said two angled portions extending therebelow, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll placed thereon and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of the roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position.

3. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with means including a pressure roll and a dispensing roll for dispensing toweling from a supply roll, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet formed of bent sheet material and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion behind said dispensing and pressure rolls which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from the pressure roll, there being an intermediate well portion between said two angled portions, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll placed thereon and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of the supply roll as the latter decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the supply roll in maintaining the supply roll in position.

4. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with means for dispensing toweling from a supply roll and including dispensing rollers, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet formed of bent sheet material and positioned behind said dispensing rollers and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion behind said dispensing rollers which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from the front and which then curves downwardly and forwardly so that its front provides a paper guide during dispensing, there being an intermediate well portion between said two angled portions, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of a supply roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the supply roll in maintaining the roll in position.

5. In a roll towel dispenser, a cabinet having roller means for dispensing toweling from a supply roll, said cabinet having a cover pivoted to its lower front portion for upward swinging movement, means in the bottom of the cabinet forming a cradle which furnishes the sole support for a supply roll, and a roll-holding bar pivoted at its lower end to the inner side of said cover, said bar being of such length and in such a location as to be engageable with the periphery of the supply roll regardless of the diameter of the latter when the cover is closed and to automatically pivot from an upright position toward a horizontal position on top of the supply roll as the diameter of the latter decreases to aid in maintaining the supply roll in position in said cradle.

6. In a roll towel dispenser, a cabinet having roller means for dispensing toweling from a supply roll, said cabinet having a cover pivoted to its lower front portion for upward swinging movement, means in the bottom of the cabinet forming a cradle which furnishes the sole support for a supply roll, and a roll-holding gravity bar pivoted at its lower end to the inner side of said cover, said bar being of such length and in such a location as to be urged by gravity into engagement with the periphery of the supply roll regardless of the diameter of the latter when the cover is closed and to automatically pivot from an upright position toward a horizontal position on top of the supply roll as the diameter of the latter decreases to aid in maintaining the supply roll in position in said cradle.

7. In a roll towel dispenser, a cabinet having roller means for dispensing toweling from a supply roll, said cabinet having a cover pivoted to its lower front portion for upward swinging movement, means in the bottom of the cabinet forming a cradle which furnishes the sole support for a supply roll, and a roll-holding gravity bar pivoted at its lower end to the inner side of said cover, said bar being of such length and in such a location as to be urged by gravity into engagement with the periphery of the supply roll regardless of the diameter of the latter when the cover is closed and to automatically pivot from an upright position toward a horizontal position on top of the supply roll as the diameter of the latter decreases to aid in maintaining the supply roll in position in said cradle and said gravity bar being so located that it is urged by gravity to swing downwardly and forwardly against the cover when the cover is opened so that it will not interfere with loading of the cabinet.

8. In a roll towel dispenser, a cabinet having roller means in a lower front portion for dispensing toweling from a supply roll, said cabinet having a cover pivoted to its lower front portion for upward swinging movement, means in the bottom of the cabinet behind said roller means forming a cradle which furnishes the sole support for a supply roll, and a roll-holding gravity bar pivoted at its lower end to the inner side of said cover at a location above said roller means when the cover is closed, said bar being of such length and in such a location as to project above its pivot into engagement with the periphery of a new supply roll and to be urged by gravity downwardly and rearwardly toward a position on top of the supply roll as the supply roll becomes smaller to continually engage the latter regardless of its diameter when the cover is closed to aid in maintaining the supply roll in position in said cradle.

9. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with a pressure roll in a lower front portion thereof, said cabinet having a front cover hinged to a lower portion thereof for upward swinging movement into closing position, said cover having a drive roll rotatably mounted therein in a position to engage below said pressure roll when the cover is closed, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet formed of bent sheet material and located behind said pressure roll and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion which angles con,- vergently downwardly and rearwardly from behind the pressure roll and which then curves downwardly and forwardly sothat its front face provides a paper guide during dispensing, there being a dispensing opening below said guide, said supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom having an intermediate well portion between two said angled portions and behind said paper guide portion, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of a supply roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position.

10. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with a pressure roll in a lower front portion thereof, said cabinet having a front cover hinged to a lower portion thereof for upward swinging movement into closing position, said cover having a drive roll rotatably mounted therein in a position to engage said pressure roll when the cover is closed, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet formed of bent sheet material and located behind said pressure roll and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from behind the pressure roll and which then curves downwardly and forwardly so that its front face provides a paper guide during dispensing, there being a dispensing opening below said guide, said supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom having an intermediate well portion between two said angled portions and behind said paper guide portion, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of a supply roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position, and a cut-off blade supported by the cover in a position to be spaced forwardly of and project from behind said drive roll toward said paper guide when the cover is closed to define a dispensing throat behind the drive roll which is U-shaped in cross-section.

11. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with a pressure roll in a lower front portion thereof, said cabinet having a front cover hinged to a lower portion thereof for upward swinging movement into closing position, said cover having a drive roll rotatably mounted therein in a position to engage said pressure roll when the cover is closed, a one-piece supply roll supporting and cradling false bottom in said cabinet formed of sheet material and located behind said pressure roll and drive roll and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from behind the pressure roller and drive roll and which then curves downwardly and forwardly so that its front face provides a paper guide during dispensing, there being a dispensing opening below said guide, said supply rollsupporting and cradling bottom having an integral intermediate U-shaped well portion between and connecting two said angled portions and behind said paper guide portion and dispensing and drive rolls, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of a supply roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position.

12. A roll towel dispenser comprising a cabinet having a pair of spaced side walls, having a bottom with a front dispensing opening having a. rear margin, and having an open front, a pressure roll rotatably carried by the side walls near the lower front of the cabinet, a cover pivotally secured to the lower front portion of the cabinet for upward swinging movement to a raised position where it closes the open front of the cabinet, means in the cabinet behind said pressure roll for cradling a roll of toweling in a position where toweling may be pulled from the bottom. of the supply roll over and in front of said pressure roll, a drive roll carried by said cover in a position where it is engageable from below with said pressure roll when said cover is closed to cause toweling hanging in front of said pressure roll to be carried beneath said roll and over said drive roll to project from the rear thereof, a cut-off bar mounted in the cover adjacent said drive roll and positioned to project rearwardly therefrom above the dispensing opening and rearwardly of the rear margin thereof when the cover is closed in a position to cut off a length of toweling when the toweling is manipulated by a user.

13. A roll towel dispenser comprising a cabinet having a pair of spaced side walls, having a bottom with a front dispensing opening having a rear margin, and having an open front, a pressure roller rotatably carried by the side walls near the lower front of the cabinet, a cover pivotally secured to the lower front portion of the cabinet for upward swinging movement from a lowered open position to a raised position where it closes the open front of the cabinet, means in the cabinet behind said pressure roll for cradling a roll of toweling in a position where it may be pulled from the bottom of the suppl roll over and in front of said pressure roll, a drive roll, an elongated bracket carried by the lower inside of said cover and supporting said drive roll in a position where it is engageable from below with said pressure roll when said cover is closed to cause toweling hanging in front of said pressure roll to be carried beneath said roll and over said drive roll, to hang from the rear thereof, a cutoff bar projecting from said elongated bracket in the cover positioned to project rearwardly from the drive roll above the dispensing opening and rearwardly of the rear margin thereof when the cover is closed, in a position to cut off a length of toweling when the toweling is manipulated by a user.

14. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with a pressure roll in a lower front portion thereof, said cabinet having a front cover hinged to a lower portion thereof for upward swinging movement into closing position, said cover having an inwardly flanged lower portion spaced above the bottom of the cabinet, a drive roll rotatably mounted on said inwardly flanged portion of the cover in a position to engage beneath said pressure roll When the cover is closed, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet behind said pressure roll and, drive roll and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from behind the pressure roller and drive roll and which then curves downwardly and forwardly around and spaced inwardly from said cover flange to provide a paper-guiding throat during dispensing, there being a dispensing opening below said throat and flange having a rear margin which coincides with the lower forward edge of said throat.

15. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with a pressure roll in a lower front portion thereof, said cabinet having a front cover hinged to a lower portion thereof for upward swinging movement into closing position, said cover having an inwardly flanged lower portion spaced above the bottom of the cabinet, a drive roll rotatably mounted on said inwardly flanged portion of the cover in a position to engage beneath said pressure roll when the cover is closed, a supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom in said cabinet behind said pressure roll and having a rear portion which angles downwardly and forwardly from the rear and having a front portion which angles convergently downwardly and rearwardly from behind the pressure roller and drive roll and which then curves downwardly and forwardly around and spaced inwardly from said cover flange to provide a paper-guiding throat during dispensing, there being a dispensing opening with a rear margin below said throat and flange, said supply roll-supporting and cradling bottom having an intermediate well portion between two said angled portions and behind said pressure and drive rolls, said front and rear angled portions being adapted to engage spaced lower peripheral portions of a supply roll and said well being shaped to receive therein a progressively greater portion of the diameter of a supply roll as the roll decreases in diameter to thereby compensate for the loss of weight of the roll in maintaining the roll in position.

16. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with upper and lower cooperating dispensing rolls in a lower front portion thereof with one above the other, a cutoff blade projecting rearwardly from behind said rolls and having a rear cutting edge projecting rearwardly beyond the rearmost periphery of both rolls, means in said cabinet behind said rolls for supporting a supply roll, and a guide plate extending transversely of the cabinet behind both of said rolls and having a front portion which angles downwardly and rearwardly from a position behind said upper roll and spaced above said cutoff blade and which then curves downwardly and forwardly around and spaced inwardly from said cutting edge to provide a paper-guiding throat during dispensing which is U-shaped in cross section, there being a dispensing opening below said cutofl? blade having a rear margin which is spaced forwardly from the cutting edge of said blade.

17. In a roll towel dispenser having a cabinet with upper and lower cooperating dispensing rolls in a lower front portion thereof with one above the other, a cutoff blade supported to project rearwardly from behind said rolls and having a rear cutting edge projecting rearwardly beyond the rearmost periphery of both rolls, means in said cabinet behind said rolls for supporting a supply roll in such a position that paper from the supply roll may be passed over said upper dispensing roll and rearwardly through the bite between the rolls to be fed rearwardly above said cutoff blade, said cabinet having a dispensing opening below said cutoff blade with a rear margin which is spaced forwardly from the cutting edge of said blade, and means in the cabinet behind both dispensing rolls for guiding paper from said dispensing rolls around said cutoff blade and to said dispensing opening.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,722,766 Ruze July 30, 1929 2,215,052 Price et al Sept. 17, 1940 2,303,520 Wilson Dec. 1, 1942 2,839,345 Engel et a1 June 17, 1958 

1. IN A ROLL TOWEL DISPENSER HAVING A CABINET WITH MEANS FOR DISPENSING TOWELING FROM A ROLL AND INCLUDING DISPENSING ROLLERS, A ROLL-SUPPORTING AND CRADLING BOTTOM IN SAID CABINET HAVING A REAR PORTION WHICH ANGLES DOWNWARDLY AND FORWARDLY FROM THE REAR AND HAVING A FRONT PLATE PORTION BEHIND SAID DISPENSING ROLLERS WHICH ANGLES CONVERGENTLY DOWNWARDLY AND REARWARDLY FROM THE FRONT, THERE BEING AN INTERMEDIATE WELL PORTION BETWEEN SAID TWO ANGLED PORTIONS, SAID FRONT AND REAR ANGLED PORTIONS BEING ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SPACED LOWER PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF A SUPPLY ROLL PLACED THEREON AND SAID WELL BEING SHAPED TO RECEIVE THEREIN A PROGRESSIVELY GREATER PORTION OF THE 